When Brendan Morrison was traded from Calgary to Chicago at the All-Star break, the 37-year-old center seemed pleased. He was going to a playoff team with a lack of depth down the middle and a slew of talented forwards to play with.

By the end of his tenure as a ‘Hawk, he was anything but pleased.

Morrison was a scratch in 21 of 32 games and skated on Chicago’s fourth line when he did dress. He got in for three of Chicago’s six playoff games — scoring a goal — but suffered more disappointment as the ‘Hawks were bounced by the Coyotes.

Now, he’s facing an offseason full of uncertainty.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Morrison told the Calgary Herald. “This season was a long season as far as trying to get back to full health after knee surgery last year, but I feel good now. I’m going to prepare like I’m going to play and then we will have to make a decision later in the summer.

“I don’t think anything is going to happen early in the summer, but I’m going to prepare.”

Morrison was almost out of the league entirely two years ago before accepting a training camp tryout from Vancouver. After the Canucks let him go Calgary swooped in and inked him to a deal, and the veteran responded by scoring 54 points over 94 games in a season and a half.

He called his tenure in Chicago “a little bit disappointing”, which explains why he’s keeping in shape. Should an NHL team come calling this summer, he’ll entertain the notion of playing — so he can go out on better terms.

Not to say he hasn’t thought about calling it a day.

“If it’s the right situation then we might do it,” Morrison said. “But if it’s not, then it might be it.”

Hey Halford, with Kesler out until November, what are your thoughts on a possible return to the Canucks for Morrison?

leepetertk - May 17, 2012 at 1:38 PM

This is an interesting idea for the Canucks. They would be looking for depth regardless of the Kesler injury. Andrew Ebbett filled that role well, but I doubt he will return. Signing Morrison would go against MG saying they need to get younger. Jordan Schroeder looks like the obvious choice to fill in for Kesler, but that is still an experiment.

I think Morrison could fill in a depth center role for one season where the Canucks immediately find themselves in short supply of after trading Cody Hodgson. If Schroeder does not work, then they have an option in Morrison. If Kesler returns and Schroeder can stick in the NHL, then they have their “Andrew Ebbett”. Morrison can also fill on the second unit powerplay (with Kesler on the first). The Canucks sorely lacked a second unit centre until Hodgson took the role. Then of course they missed him again when he was traded. The options look like they work for one year.

kitshky - May 17, 2012 at 2:49 PM

Could work for even less than a year .. he could be a affordable and dependable piece of the puzzle to start the season without putting too much pressure on him.